Mortar dispensing apparatus



Oct. 21, 1958 G. R. SEARL MORTAR DISPENSING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 18, 1953 Garner R. Sear/ INVENTOR.

3 Sheets-Sheet 22 Filed Nov. 18, 1953 INVENTOR.

BY #W Garner R. Sear! and Oct. 21, 1958 G. R. SEARL MORTAR DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 18 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IIIIIIIIIIIVIIIIIIIIIIIIIIA Garner 6. .Sear/ INVENTOR.

BY W

2,855,767 Patented Oct. 21, 1958 Fice MORTAR DISPENSING APPARATUS Garner R. Searl, Patterson, Calif.

Application November 18, 1953, Serial No. 392,895

4 Claims. (Cl. 72-128) This invention relates to an apparatus for use in erecting masonry walls, and more particularly to various improvements in the mortar dispensing and building unit alignment apparatus as defined in the copending application Serial No. 342,866, filed March 17, 1953, for Mortar Dispensing Apparatus now Patent No. 2,758,468.

The primary object of the present invention resides in the provision of an apparatus adapted to render the task of laying solid or hollow building units such as blocks, bricks, tile, stone and the like, a more simple operation.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of means for supporting a carriage above a course of building units in a manner such that mortar can be discharged thereon in a substantially even manner.

A feature of the invention resides in the provision of smoothing rollers carried by the carriage and riding against the mortar discharge from either a mortar gun or from a hopper mounted on the carriage so as to apply an even amount of mortar on the course of blocks being layed, while other apparatus depending from the carriage is adapted to resiliently urge pressure rollers against the side faces of the course of blocks to prevent mortar from being squeezed out onto the outside of the wall while mortar is being tamped or urged into the space between adjacent building units.

Utilized in the present invention are transverse members having hinged locking plates secured thereto, the locking plates carrying locking blocks adapted to wedgingly engage side rails within notches provided in the transverse members. These hinged locking plates prevent binding of the rails with the transverse members even when using relatively long side rails.

Another important feature of the invention resides in spring pressed arms carried by the carriage which are adapted to resiliently urge pressing rollers against the side faces of building blocks, the arms engaging brackets mounted on rods depending from the sets of wheels working in the side rails.

Still further features and objects of this invention reside in the provision of various improvements in the apparatus for aligning building units and dispensing mortar which is strong and durable,- capable of being used and reused, and which is efiicient and durable in operation while being inexpensive to manufacture, service and maintain, and which is relatively simple in construction.

These, together with the various ancillary objects and features of the invention which will become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by this mortar dispensing apparatus, preferred embodiments thereof being illustrated in the accompanying drawings, by way of example only, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view illustrating the mortar dispensing apparatus utilized in conjunction with a mortar s Figure 2 is a top plan view of this mortar dispensing and building unit aligning apparatus;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view as taken along the plane of line 3-3 of Figure 2 and illustrating on an enlarged scale the manner in which the: mortar gun dispenses mortar into the spaces between adjacent building units;

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the carriage and associated elements mounted thereon comprising one of the important elements of the invention;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view as taken along the plane of line 5-5 in Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a perspective View of an embodiment of transverse member utilized in this invention;

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view as taken along the plane of line 7--'7 of Figure 6 and illustrating the means for adjusting the height of the side rail supporting members;

Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional detail view as taken along the plane of line 88 of Figure 1 and illustrating the brackets used for engagement by the spring pressed arms to hold the pressing rollers against the side surfaces of the building units;

Figure 9 is a sectional detail view illustrating a modified form of the invention utilizing a hopper in lieu of the mortar gun;

Figure 10 is a perspective View of a modified form of transverse member utilizing locking plates and locking blocks for holding the sidev rails in position;

Figure 11 is a perspective view of a further modified form of side rail supporting elements;

Figure 12 is an elevational view illustrating a pair of legs which are attachably secured to the transverse elements when utilizing this apparatus in conjunction with building units of considerable depth;

Figure 13 is a plan view illustrating the construction of these legs in more detail;

Figure 14 is a sectional detail view illustrating the construction of a tamper utilized in this invention;

Figure 15 is a nozzle attachment for the mortar gun; and

Figure 16 is a sectional view as taken. along the plane of line 16-16 in Figure 14.

With continuing reference to accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, reference numeral 10 gen erally designates a transverse member which is provided with a pair of depending lugs 12 on the lower edge thereof and a pair of spaced notches 14 in the upper edges. Support members 18 are attached to the transverse member 16 at the ends thereof through which bolts 20 extend, the bolts 20 being threadedly secured in plates 22 so that upon rotation of the bolts 20 the height of the plates 22 can be adjusted. Angle shaped guides 24 are secured to the central portion of the transverse plates 10. The transverse plates 10 are adapted to be positioned between abutting building units, as at 26 with the underside of the guides 24 resting on the upper edges of the adjacent blocks and with the lugs 12 engaging the outer side surfaces of a block thus assuring that the transverse members 10 are plumb and therefore that the next adjacent course and the wall constructed utilizing the invention will be plumb as will be understood.

Received in the notches 14 are spaced side rails 23 which have inwardly extending tracks, as at 31), on which sets of wheels 32 are adapted to ride. The side rails 28 may optionally be supported as may be necessary intermediate the ends thereof by means of a transverse mem ber 34, the construction of which can be best seen in Figure 10. This transverse member 34 has lugs 36 which extend downwardly from the lower edge thereof and are provided with notches 38 therein of greater size than the dimensions of the side rails 28. Angle guides 40, similar to the angle guides 24, are secured to the transverse mounting plates 4-6 for the side rails 26.

member 34 aswell as support members 42 through which bolts 44 extend, the bolts 44 being threadedly secured in The transverse member 34 further differentiates from the transverse member 16) by having locking plates 4%. hingedly secured as at Silt to the main portion of the transverse member 34. The locking plates 48 carry locking blocks 52 which are attached to the angulated portions of the locking plates and which are adapted to wedge the side rails 28 between the locking blocks 52 and the vertical edges as at 56 of the transverse members 34 in the notches it is to be realized that the transverse members can readily be utilized in lieu of the transverse members 16 at the ends of the rails 2&3 as well as medial the ends thereof, but the transverse member 3d is especially adaptable for use to support the midportions of the rails since at such portions the rails 26 may have twisted or sagged which would prevent them from being readily removed from the smaller notches 14 formed in the members 1d, but since the locking plates it; can be located so that the locking blocks 52 can be removed from the notches, the rails could readily be inserted and lifted into the notches 38 with little effort.

The rails 23 slidably support a carriage 56 having wheels which are adapted to ride on the rails 28. The carriage 56 further includes angulated support members 66 which extend divergently upward in parallel paths and which have transverse rods 62 attached thereto and extending therebetween. The carriage 56 is adapted to support a mortar gun 64 of conventional construction having an auger 66 for delivering mortar to the dicharge end 68 of the mortar gun 64. However, incorporated in the concept of the present invention is the utilization of an attachment 7d for the mortar gun 64 which in cludes a plurality of spaced recesses 72 for reception of the rods 62 to adequately support the gun 64 at a desired height. Also, a nozzle attachment 74 is detachably secured to the discharge portion 68 of the mortar gun 64 by means of a fastener 76. The nozzle 74;- has a converging lower end and is provided with a resilient tip 78 for properly discharging the mortar. It is noted that the tip 78 lies substantially flush with the fiat surface of the building units 26 when the mortar gun is supported on either or" the rods 62. The fastener 76 extends through a suitable slot 36 in the nozzle attachment 74.

Smoothing rollers 82 are rotatably mounted by means of freely floating straps 84 rotatably mounted on the carriage 56 and fenders 86 which overlie the rollers 82 are secured to the carriage and extend angularly in overlying relationship to the rollers 32 while terminating at a suitable height above the lowermost edge of the wheels when in normal operation.

Pivotally mounted on the carriage 56 are a pair of spring pressed arms 83 which are held by resilient springs, as at 99, inwardly in engagement in one of the notches, as at 92, provided in brackets 94 carried by rods 96 suspended from the sets of wheels 32. The rods 96 extend downwardly past the lowermost edge of the flanges 36 of the tracks 28 and carry pressing rollers 9'8, Hence, the arms 88 continuously urge the rollers inwardly toward the side surfaces of the building units 26 and the notches 92 permit adjustment of the rollers 98 relative to the carriage 56 thereby assuring that the rollers will cover the juncture between adjacent building units 26 while the mortar gun is applying mortar thereto.

It is to be noted that a plurality of the rollers 93 may be suspended from a plurality of sets of wheels 32 as may be necessary since the arms 88 can be lifted free from the brackets 94 when a supporting member, as at 3a is encountered during the passage of the carriage 46 along the rails 26 and the arms 88 can then be placed in a selected one of the apertures 92 in a subsequent bracket 94 carried by the rods 96 of the subsequent set of wheels 32.

Referring now to Figures 12 and 13, when it is desirable to utilize this invention with building blocks of considerable depth, legs, as at 1%, can readily be attached through apertures 162 to the transverse members or 11). The arms Till) may be provided with lugs 162 for locking engagement with the projections 36 or 12 as may be necessary.

Referring now to the embodiment of the invention as is shown in Figure 9, it will be seen that there is supported a hopper 104 having a discharge outlet 106 therein in alignment with the discharge outlet in the carriage 556. The hopper W4 is supported on the rods 62 and is substantially V-shaped. The hopper 104 carries a tamper 1% which is vertically slidably mounted between spaced sets of guides 108 secured to the hopper 104. The tamper may be formed with two downwardly extending leg portions 169 and 110 and having a recess 11 therebetween. A V-shaped member 114 is positioned in the hopper 1113 in the discharge aperture 106 so as to prevent any mortar from passing through the central portion of the discharge aperture 106 since the triangular member 114 will fit comparatively snug therein. The egs 1 89 and 116 can readily pass upwardly relative to the triangular member 118 and on the downward stroke can push mortar into the crevices between the adjacent building units 26. In some municipalities, the build ing codes require that the mortar extend entirely across the blocks or building units 26 and if so, a tamper which eliminates the recess 112 and the V-shaped member 114 and utilizes a solid member instead of the legs 109 and 110 may be provided.

It will be noted that notches or recesses are formed in the edges 56 as can best be seen in Figures 4 and 5, for receiving the top of nozzle '74 when the machine is being propelled down the track and the notches 115 together with notches 72 hold the nozzle at a fixed height to insure an even flow of mortar.

Referring now to Figure 11, it will be noted that herein there is disclosed an optional member for supporting the rails 23. This member includes a pair of core pieces 12% which are secured on either side of a central plate 122 and have end plates 124 and 126 secured thereto, the end plate 126 being of angle shape and carrying a plat form 130 to which there is secured a guide plate 132. The side rails 28 are adapted to seat in the position between the guide plate 132 and the vertical edges of the elements 122, 124, and 126 of the side rail supporting structure which is especially adapted to be utilized where space does not permit the use of the transverse member 10 or 34.

Since from the foregoing the construction and advantages of the apparatus for both dispensing mortar and aligning building units is readily apparent, further description is believed to be unnecessary.

However, since numerous modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the foregoing specification and accompanying drawings, it is not intended to limit the invention to the precise embodiment shown and described, but all suitable modifications and equivalents may be readily resorted to which fall into the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A building unit alignment and mortar dispensing apparatus comprising spaced parallel transverse members adapted to straddle a course of building units, said transverse members each having a pair of spaced notches, locking plates hingedly secured to the ends of at least one of said transverse members, an angularly disposed locking block carried by each of said locking plates, horizontal rail supports carried by said transverse members in alignment with said notches, and spaced rails received in said notches and extending between said transverse members, said locking plates being rotatable inwardly to wedgingly position said locking blocks in said notches between said rails and said transverse members.

2. A building unit alignment and mortar dispensing apparatus comprising spaced parallel transverse members adapted to straddle a course of building units, said transverse members each having a pair of spaced notches, locking plates hingedly secured to the ends of at least one of said transverse members, an angularly disposed locking block carried by each of said locking plates, horizontal rail supports carried by said transverse members in alignment with said notches and spaced rails received in said notches and extending between said transverse members, said locking plates being rotatable inwardly to wedgingly position said locking blocks in said notches between said rails and said transverse members, and means for vertically adjusting said rail supports to adjust and position said rails.

3. A building unit alignment and mortar dispensing apparatus comprising spaced parallel transverse members adapted to straddle a course of building units, said transverse members each having a pair of spaced notches, locking plates hingedly secured to the ends of at least one of said transverse members, an angularly disposed locking block carried by each of said locking plates, horizontal rail supports carried by said transverse members in alignment with said notches, and spaced rails received in said notches and extending between said transverse members, said locking plates being rotatable inwardly to wedgingly position said locking blocks in said notches between said rails and said transverse members, and a pair of legs secured to each of said transverse members extending downwardly on either side of said building units.

4. A building unit alignment and mortar dispensing apparatus comprising spaced parallel transverse members adapted to straddle a course of building units, said transverse members each having a pair of spaced notches, locking plates hingedly secured to the ends of at least one of said transverse members, an angularl'y disposed locking block carried by each of said locking plates, horizontal rail supports carried by said transverse members in alignment with said notches, spaced rails received in said notches and extending between said transverse members, said locking plates being rotatable inwardly to wedg ingly position said locking blocks in said notches between said rails and said transverse members, and angle shaped guides secured to said transverse members adjacent the upper edges thereof, said angle guides being adapted to seat on said building units of said course of building units.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,736,812 Youngblood Nov. 26, 1929 1,833,582 Kavanagh Nov. 24, 1931 2,639,608 Kirschmann May 26, 1953 

